Anyone know how to deactivate a microchip?

We just got the paperwork for Rudy's microchip. It was put in at animal services in Palm Beach. I called the company to set up our information, and guess what??? Their computer won't take a Canadian postal code (well, she repeatedly called it a Canadian zip code even after I corrected her repeatedly, so being passive aggressive I spent the rest of the call using the term US postal codes intead of zip code. Yes, sometimes I'm twelve years old). It's all because of one tiny computer field...and since she was familiar with the issue, clearly it's come up before and could easily be fixed with a few additional lines of code. But why would they bother?

They don't have any problem taking my info (and of course my money), provided I offer it as an alternate contact but provide an American address and phone number as the primary. So, if Rudy were missing they'd call someone else first. (I don't have a someone else in the US, but that's not even the point.)

So, I asked them how to deactivate it so that I could put a new one in. If there are two we're just at the mercy of whichever one reads first. No one's going to look for a second one just in case.

Nope. Can't deactivate it. Only remove it surgically, but she doesn't suggest that.

So, how are we going to make this work? (I ask this to her.)

She again tells me I have to use an American address. I tell her again (for at least the fourth time) that I don't know any Americans, and can I use her address? She declines. Imagine that.

So, I clarify. A chip from your company is in my dog that is now preventing another chip from being used, and you can't/won't take my information, so that's it. He can never, ever have a microchip?

Yes, that's it she says.

Thanks so much.

My vet is calling to follow up and give them what for, but it's not looking good. I'll happily get him a new chip if there's a way to make this other one dormant. Any ideas? (Without hurting Rudy of course.)

I should have called tomorrow. Today has been one of those days where everything turns to sawdust in my hands. I bet if I'd held off a day I would have reached someone with an actual solution.

I should have called tomorrow. Today has been one of those days where everything turns to sawdust in my hands. I bet if I'd held off a day I would have reached someone with an actual solution.

Or an actual brain?

Oh Tracie, I feel bad!!

Seriously - that is a bad glitch in their computer system.

Are they based in the south?? (ducks as y'all from the south throw something at me...) - no - I mean it in a geographical way. Most northern Co's are a bit more used to US/Canadian lines being blurred for business. Heck, here in MN we use Canadian coins the same as US coins!!

got sheep wrote:

Heck, here in MN we use Canadian coins the same as US coins!!

In New York as well. Can you talk to a US rescue and see if they can help provide contact info?

Is he chipped through the rescue that you got him from?

According to the two main manufacturers, AVID and Destron Fearing, microchips used in pet identification and recovery are programmed to store a unique, permanent identification number. The chip and an antenna are sealed in an airtight, biocompatible capsule made of glass. The entire mechanism can range in size from less than half an inch to a little over an inch in length. The average microchip is about the size of a grain of rice. The device itself contains no battery, and its electronic circuitry is only activated when it is being scanned.

The method of implanting the microchip is very much like administering a vaccination. A sterile applicator is used to inject the microchip just under the skin at the back of the dog's neck, between the shoulder blades. To avoid migration (movement from the original implant site), one company uses a patented sheath to promote bonding between fibrous tissue and the microchip capsule.

Once the microchip is successfully implanted, it can be "read" using a scanning device. The scanner emits a low-frequency radio signal, activating the microchip. The microchip then sends the unique identification number back to the scanner. After the information is encoded, the scanner displays the number on its LCD display. The number is then entered into a database, along with the proper contact information. Programs like the American Kennel Club (AKC) Companion Animal Recovery (CAR) program maintain worldwide databases so they can help reunite lost pets with their families. According to the AKC CAR, more than 900,000 pets and companion animals have been registered in its database, which does include tattooed animals, and almost 50,000 pets have been reunited with their families. i'm thinkin the girl was mistaken or it can be resolved w/o deactivation.read worldwide databases.

Two companies, Schering-Plough Animal Health and AVID, share the bulk of the business of pet identification by microchip.

In 1996, Schering-Plough Animal Health, marketer of the HomeAgain™ microchip identification system, announced distribution of a universal scanner by Destron-Fearing* that can read all microchips and removed a major obstacle to widespread acceptance of pet identification with the new technology. Until then, no one scanner could read the chips of all the US manufacturers, a situation that impeded efforts to involve shelters in a national effort to return stray dogs to their owners through a chip program. The new scanners were given to thousands of shelters throughout the country so that quick and easy identification of those dogs with microchips could be achieved.

There are some drawbacks. AVID® encoded its chips so that the number cannot be read, even by the HomeAgain™ universal scanner. Unless the shelter has an AVID® scanner, the best it can do is identify that a chip from AVID® is present. Thus it is still necessary to have access to at least two scanners in order to assure that the chip number can be retrieved.

A few chips do move out of place and can't be found by the scanner, a problem that Schering-Plough's Destron system addressed with a polypropylene shell on the tip of its transponder. This coating bonds the transponder to the dog's subcutaneous tissue.

Dogs can be scanned when picked up by an animal control officer or brought to the shelter. If a chip is present, the scanner will read the number and the shelter staff member can call the appropriate registry for the identity of the owner.

As a double protection for dogs chipped with HomeAgain™, veterinarians who install the chips have scanners. Thus a found pet can be taken to a veterinary clinic for scanning and may never make the trip to a shelter.

Industry changesUntil February 2005, the American Kennel Club Companion Animal Recovery affiliate served as the registry for the Schering-Plough HomeAgain™ system and accepted enrollments from other systems as well. At that time, Schering-Plough set up its own registration/recovery database. However, AKC/CAR continues to enroll microchipped animals from any system for $12.50.

The chips used by HomeAgain™ and AVID® work on a frequency of 125 kHz. Banfield the Pet Hospital, a chain of animal health clinics at PetsMart stores, tried to get into the market by selling chips that work on a frequency of 134 kHz, the standard chip used to identify livestock, zoo animals, and wildlife throughout the world. Scanners that read the 125 kHz chips cannot read the 134 kHz version. A lawsuit from AVID® blocked Banfield from selling its chip.

However, since the 134 kHz chip is standard in 150 countries and the US is part of the International Standards Organization governing scientific standards, the US Congress is considering an addition to the 2005 Agriculture Budget Bill that directs the US Department of Agriculture to write regulations to provide for the use of the 134 kHz chip and reading wands in the US.

Only veterinarians can implant HomeAgain™ chips. AVID® chips can be implanted by shelter personnel, individuals, or veterinarians. Breeders often use the AVID® system because the company offers incentives to chip entire litters, but puppy buyers should be aware that the scanners used by many veterinarians come from HomeAgain™ and cannot read the number on AVID chips. Costs vary with these systems depending on the number of dogs owned and whether the dog is enrolled in the national database.

At the moment, the Banfield chip cannot be implanted in the company's 500-plus animal clinics, but that situation is likely to change if Congress approves the recommendation to adopt the 134kHz chip. Included in the recommendation is a requirement to develop a true universal scanner that can read all chips.

What does this mean to pet owners and breeders? Not a lot. There's no reason to assume that federal approval of a standardized chip will result in a mandate to use that chip. Current databases will continue to enroll dogs. Shelters and veterinarians will continue to scan dogs with the wands they have now and will likely switch to the universal wand when it is developed. As in the past, companies are likely to donate scanners to shelters and rescues.

* Destron-Fearing changed its name to Digital Angel.Corporation.

The above is not necessarily true. (guest posting)

I have 2 dogs with AVID chips. One is from the rescue, and the other breeder/vet administered. Both are read by my vet's scanner - and they are a HomeAgain chip implanter.

Also, most shelters and vets have the option of using a universal scanner - and most (all actually) that I know have them and scan any chip. Also the vet office where I had Chewie's OFA xrays done used a universal scanner too.

I administer microchips myself for our basset rescue. It is super easy, and yes, they are the size of a grain of rice. We use AVID, and the scanner detects all chips, because we check for a chip in every dog we get in.

If they can't accomodate the Canadian postal code with his current chip, then I don't know that it would be that bad to remove the old one. If they scan it and get the location, it should be a pretty simple excision process to get it out.

Sounds like they're an RFID.

My guess to disable it? EMP.

Let me do some research here.

CamVal1 wrote:

Sounds like they're an RFID.

My guess to disable it? EMP.

Let me do some research here.

Yes, Thermonuclear war might actually fry the chip electronically a moment before it is fried...

OK, EMP is probably not going to be practical for you (but maybe in the future).

If the chip company can't do anything about it, then my guess is to have the old chip surgically removed & a new one implanted. Because it's so small and just under the skin, I bet they could do it on an outpatient basis with a local anesthetic.

Ron wrote:

Yes, Thermonuclear war might actually fry the chip electronically a moment before it is fried...

Heh heh.Yes a thermonuclear event certainly would do it, but I was thinking more along the lines of a handheld EMP generator.And while something like them exists, they aren't sold at the local Home Depot. They'd have to be handbuilt at home from a set of instructions, there could be collateral damage to other electronics near them, and they can be VERY dangerous just to build it and setting it off (either a high voltage danger and/or explosive danger depending on which style is built).

You know, I think I'd call back tomorrow & try with a different person! Better yet....start off asking for a supervisor!

Can they put an American address but your Canadian telephone number as primary?

Valerie wrote:

Can they put an American address but your Canadian telephone number as primary?

VERY good suggestion as a last ditch solution.

It is ridiculous that you cant use an existing microchip to register Rudie. There must be some way to have the chip no. transferred to another company or something. Someone told me it is really difficult to remove microchips surgically as the reader can read them from a few centimetres away and they're too small for the vet to see easily. It wasnt a reliable source though so may not be true.

Ring again, tell the operator that you want to escalate your complaint to a manager. If they refuse to help I would start threatening to call your vet association and demand that they recommend all vets stop using the company. Also rescues etc. Hopefully your vet will be able to get some action.

Tracie, not that this is necessarily the solution you're looking for but WI OES rescue registers the dogs' chips to us. I think as the secondary contact, the owner as first, but brain is fuzzy. Why not ask the rescue you got him from if you can use their address, and then just put your phone number down? If his chip gets scanned they're going to call the number, not write a letter.

As it happens we had a dog we placed two plus years ago get loose. She was picked up and not only were the owners notified, so were we.

I'd also call back first and see if you can get a more helpful person. If you can't, I'd write to the company and explain that many American (rescue, especially) dogs end up in Cananda, explain the dilemma you faced and ask them to please do something about it!

Kristine

I agree with Kristine. My dogs are registered with my breeders info and my own. I would see if the rescue could have the address and your phone number, or have both phone numbers. It's always easier to have more than one way to get a hold of you. I can see where if people get a new phone number, they don't always remember to update their pets chip with the info.

You can never be too safe.

Our rescue chips list both the rescue and new owners as well - for the life of the dog. If they dog gets lost and picked up and scanned, both get called. It has happened. Better 2 calls than none at all!

Tracie, You are more than welcome to use my address. PM me, if you would like it.

What about the company putting in their own address as the first line so they then know to use the second contact as the actual owner, when outside of the US. Until they get a work around.... if they get a work around.

you could use my adress and no if you like

Do you have the actual chip number?? Call a local micro chip company give them the chip number and have it registered with them Then call the origonal company and get them to remove that number from their data base . I use the AKC group here (because that is what my vet uses) I have a dog that was chipped at the shelter and I switched......

i apologize, my posting of those articles shoulda been followed up with what 4dognight just said. my point was exactly that, they should be able to be re-registered as there are 900,000 chips installed worldwide at the time of the article printing.

i'm hoping tracie's vet came away with conversation along that line.

When we got Quigley from the rescue and was changing over his microchip info, they said that we were due to pay for Maggie's (our other OES's) chip 'license.' I was unaware that there was a subscription for microchipping. What? I am forced to pay you whatever you tell me to pay you in order to get by dog back it she wonders off and is found? BRUTAL!

I asked what would happen if we didn't pay for the subscription, they would be able to say that they have that number, but the account is 'inactive.'

So, if you get a second chip, both would be read and they would be forced to figure out what in the world is going on and would find out when they called BOTH companies. They would then get the story by finding the "active" account.

Maybe you could have your vet put the chip in a place where they think it would be the first one read...just a suggestion?

wendycz23 wrote:

When we got Quigley from the rescue and was changing over his microchip info, they said that we were due to pay for Maggie's (our other OES's) chip 'license.' I was unaware that there was a subscription for microchipping. What? I am forced to pay you whatever you tell me to pay you in order to get by dog back it she wonders off and is found? BRUTAL!

I asked what would happen if we didn't pay for the subscription, they would be able to say that they have that number, but the account is 'inactive.'

So, if you get a second chip, both would be read and they would be forced to figure out what in the world is going on and would find out when they called BOTH companies. They would then get the story by finding the "active" account.

Maybe you could have your vet put the chip in a place where they think it would be the first one read...just a suggestion?

I never heard of a chip license. All my dogs are chipped for a 1 time registration fee.

Our dogs are rescue/shelter dogs and so they came with a 1-month "free" registration microchip. I guess I got suckered into paying them to change my information for the life of the dog. GRRRRRRRR!!! As I read the website, I got suckered!!!!!

I have actually been thinking about this....why not have them change the registration to:

DOG HAS MOVED TO CANADA AND HAS A NEW MICROCHIP WITH CANADA

That would solve it, wouldn't you think? Corporate America!

ChSheepdogs wrote:

wendycz23 wrote:

When we got Quigley from the rescue and was changing over his microchip info, they said that we were due to pay for Maggie's (our other OES's) chip 'license.' I was unaware that there was a subscription for microchipping. What? I am forced to pay you whatever you tell me to pay you in order to get by dog back it she wonders off and is found? BRUTAL!

I asked what would happen if we didn't pay for the subscription, they would be able to say that they have that number, but the account is 'inactive.'

So, if you get a second chip, both would be read and they would be forced to figure out what in the world is going on and would find out when they called BOTH companies. They would then get the story by finding the "active" account.

Maybe you could have your vet put the chip in a place where they think it would be the first one read...just a suggestion?

I never heard of a chip license. All my dogs are chipped for a 1 time registration fee.

from what I hear (talking ot my chip company) that has changed i some cases and there is an annual registration fee. 4 years ago when my two were registered it was for life. I am not sure about B - he has an AKC chip.

Checker's has 2 micro chips as Canadian Kennel Club would not recognize the one from here.I always chip all of my puppies before they go to new homes and myself as the registered info. Then the new owner can add themselves as the 2nd contact.

When registering in Mexico they wanted to add their OWN chip. I said NO: the dog did not need 3 chips!!! Fortunately i had a good friend who is also a vet. We got away with just 2 chips........

I own my own readers and they will pick up more than one chip..............

I agree with what others have said to use therescue groups address, they are in the US.

Other than that maybe check into an InternationalMicrochip. ResQ is the only one I have heard of.Check with them and see if you can not have himchipped again and register both chip numbers.Checking with the company first of course to make sure thatis an option they offer!To surgically remove seems kind of extreme, imho.

Kismet was microchipped when we adopted her from theshelter. When I called in the number, she was not registered (I was already in love)Upon radiographs she actually had two chips(neither registered)BUT, when I scanned her a few more times depending on wherethe scanner was it would pick up one or the other....So, called and they put both numbers in the system.

As far as the "chip license"...Home Again has a new offer thatdoes have an annual fee.It is my understanding that they still honor the one timeregistration but, if you pay annually they will fax info to vets, shelters etc. if you pet is lost. Also if your pet isinjured when lost they will cover certain emergency expensesuntil you can recover your pet(not sure of all the specifics)

Hope this all makes sense, I am not typically so wordy

Update:

I called the Canadian company. They registered it for free. They advised me to have the number removed from the Home Again data base.

Called Home Again who insisted that a number cannot be removed. (The Canadian company told me they do it all the time for customers who move and request it, but I guess it's too hard for Home Again).

So, the Canadian company registered the info and when I got the run around again from Home Again I asked to speak to a supervisor.

She insisted that the last person I spoke with did NOT tell me that they couldn't take a Canadian address, and that they could, in fact, do so.

Then she told me it's seventeen dollars ONE TIME ONLY since the "bonus" features that go with a yearly fee are not available to me. Then I told her that I had a form that said 15 dollars and she said OK to that. (I'm not getting a good feeling about these people. Period.)

She said she hoped she cleared up my misunderstanding. That was when I couldn't take it anymore and was (not rude but) used my serial killer voice. I explained that it was not my misunderstanding but that of their employee and that I did not appreciate being accused of not being smart enough to understand what their employee clearly told me. She apologized and agreed to check back on the call (they record them all) to "educate" her employee. I doubt they will, but at least she's pretending.

So I'm told he's registered. I'll give it a few days and call and have one of their front line people bring up the account and see how it goes. I'm not overly optimistic.

Thanks to everyone for their advice...and all the kind offers. We'll see if this company is going to do anything more than take my money. I'll let you guys know.